Moving to a new duty station can be a daunting experience to say the least. 

Many spouses that have been through it will tell you that educating yourself about the area helps tremendously.  

These spouses may research the obvious topics such as schools, public transportation, shopping centers, medical facilities, dentists, and children's sports leagues.  But the less obvious things you may want to learn about include snakes, spiders, and bugs of the area.  Washington State does have poisonous spiders, snakes, and some creepy bugs that you should be able to recognize so you can avoid them.

Below is a list of some spiders, snakes and other creepy crawlers that you should know about.

They are:

Spiders

There are about 3000 species of spiders in North America.  All of these spiders are poisonous, but fear of all spiders is unwarranted because most spiders are too small or possess poison that is too weak to harm humans, and only a few have bites that are dangerous to humans, according to the Spiders by Washington State University Extension.  Here are some spiders to avoid:

Western Black Widow:  the adult female is jet black and grows to about 1.5 inches in diameter, while the males are striped with white or yellow. The underside of the abdomen of the adult female usually shows two reddish markings, often joined to resemble the shape of an hourglass. The back of the abdomen is usually entirely black, but may be marked with a broken stripe of white, red, or yellow spots. These spiders can typically be found in piles of firewood, old lumber, crawl spaces, or rock piles.  If bitten, a person may see a red and swollen bite site, and they may experience intense muscular pain, rigidity of the abdomen and legs, difficulty in breathing, and nausea.  Left untreated, the symptoms should dissipate in about three days.

Domestic and Large House Spider:  These spiders do not cause serious bite reactions in humans. 

Aggressive House Spider: Since about 1960, this spider has been one of the most common spiders found in homes in this area.  It rarely climbs vertical surfaces and is usually found on the ground or floors. It bites with little provocation. It is a large swift running spider that grows to about 1 to 1 ¾ inches in diameter.  Bites by this spider leave skin injuries that are like those left by the brown recluse.

Sac Spider: This is a small whitish colored spider that lives in flat nests located under bark or in rolled leaves.   They are seldom found in houses. 

Funnel Web spiders: These non-aggressive spiders are found in bathtubs and sinks throughout the fall and winter.  They pose no threats to humans. 

Comb-footed or Cobweb Spiders: These spiders hang upside down in webs.  They are brown, but some have white with red markings.  They are often found in basements, abandoned buildings, and piles of wood, stone, or debris.  

Wolf Spiders:  These spiders are large, dark, and somewhat hairy spiders that come into homes in the fall.

Orb Weaving Spiders:  These spiders are part of the largest family of spiders.  They weave a  circular, flat, wheel-like web in which they trap flying insects. The very large black and yellow garden spider is a typical example of these spiders.

Anyone suspecting a spider to be dangerous should collect it carefully (without crushing) and send it for identification in a vial of alcohol to the Plant Diagnostic Clinic, WSU Puyallup, 7612 Pioneer Way, Puyallup, WA 98371-4998.                   

Snakes

There are three species of garter snakes occur in Washington. Small garter snakes eat earthworms and slugs; larger snakes include amphibians, small rodents, nestling birds, and fish in their diet.  They are:

Common Garter Snake: found in coastal and mountain forests, and sagebrush deserts, usually near water or wet meadows, or gardens. It grows to be 2 to 3 feet long and has brightly colored stripes (yellow, green, blue) that run lengthwise along its body, and a grayish-blue underside. .

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake: This snake spends a lot of time in water. This snake grows to 40 inches long and is gray-brown or black, with a dark, checkered pattern between yellow stripes.  

Gopher Snake: Commonly known as a bull snake, is found in warm, dry habitat-deserts, grasslands, and open woodlands. It grows to be 3 to 4 feet in length, with dark blotches against tan along its back.  This snake is often mistaken for a rattlesnake, because it coils, strikes, and hisses.

Western Rattlesnake: This is a common snake in this area.  It grows from 18 inches to 4 feet long and has a broad, triangular head that is wider than its neck, a diamond-shaped pattern along the middle of its back, and rattles on the tip of its tail. Overall color patterns differ with habitat, ranging from olive to brown to gray.  They are found in rock crevices and are most likely to be spotted at night or dusk.

Rubber Boa:  This species grows to be about 14 to 30 inches long. It is olive-green, reddish-brown, or tan to chocolate-brown, and has a short, broad snout and a short, blunt tail, giving it a two-headed appearance. It is found in damp wooded areas, large grassy areas, and moist sandy areas along rocky streams. 

Northwestern Garter Snake:  Lives in coastal and mountain forest habitats, this snake is found in suburban areas and city parks. It reaches two feet in length, and has stripes of many colors including red and orange.